National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF)
Despite the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF)
setting aside 10bn/- annually as loans for public and private hospitals
the money was still lying idle, the house heard yesterday.
The hospitals could use the loans to procure essential medical
supplies and other related equipment, Health and Social Welfare Deputy
Minister Steven Kebwe said.
He therefore urged district, referral and mission hospitals
countrywide to apply for the funds in order to improve the delivery of
health services.
The Deputy Minister was responding to concerns echoed by Chadema
MPs Joseph Salasini (Rombo) and Pauline Gekul (Special Seats) on the
shortage of equipment and essential medicine in hospitals.
Citing shortage and defective X-rays in district hospitals,
especially Mrara Hospital in Babati, Gekul wondered why the government
had contracted one agent called Philips. She also said there was no
effort to address the problem.
“People are suffering and the equipment breaks down regularly, why
has the government been using a single agent despite having
shortcomings?” she wondered.
The lawmaker was supported by her party colleague representing
Rombo, Joseph Salasini, who urged the government to have mobile X-rays.
He said these would help hospitals because road accidents were rising
in both rural and urban areas.
Salasini proposed that the government should come up with
modalities to support private hospitals access equipment and help
people access health care at their doorsteps.
In response, Dr Kebwe said the government, through NIHF, has set
aside the amount during this financial year to allow both private and
public hospitals purchase essential medicine and related facilities.
“It is the duty of hospitals to apply for the loan at the ministry.
Even though, we intend to buy at least 23 X-rays machines which would
be distributed to various district and private hospitals,” he said.
On the Mrara Hospital, the deputy minister said four X-rays were already at the Dar es Salaam port pending clearance.
“Any time from now the facilities will be distributed to the responsible hospitals,” he told MPs yesterday.
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